Chapter 2
Punishments

Section 3 (613/1974)

A sentence of life imprisonment shall be imposed instead of imprisonment in the penitentiary for life. A sentence of imprisonment shall be imposed instead of imprisonment in the penitentiary for a fixed term in accordance with the penal scale specified for imprisonment in the penitentiary in the appropriate penal provision. If no specific minimum and maximum terms have been determined in the penal provision, a sentence of imprisonment of at least six months and at most twelve years shall be imposed instead of imprisonment in the penitentiary.

Chapter 2
Punishments

Section 3 (613/1974)

Unless otherwise provided, the maximum term of imprisonment under a penal provision issued before 1 July 1975 is four years.

Chapter 2c (780/2005)
Imprisonment and combination sentence (800/2017)

General provisions

Section 2 (780/2005)
Length of imprisonment

A sentence of imprisonment is imposed for a fixed term or for life.

A fixed-term sentence of imprisonment is imposed for at least fourteen days and at most twelve years or, when imposing a joint sentence under chapter 7, for at most fifteen years.

Chapter 7 (697/1991)
Joint punishment

Section 2 (697/1991)
Maximum and minimum length of a fixed-term sentence of imprisonment

When determining a joint punishment, the most severe maximum punishment for the offences in question may be exceeded, but the length of the punishment shall not be longer than the combined length of the maximum punishments for the offences. In addition, the most severe maximum punishment shall not be exceeded by more than

1) one year, if the most severe maximum punishment is imprisonment for less than one year and six months,
2) two years, if the most severe maximum punishment is imprisonment for at least one year and six months but less than four years, or
3) three years, if the most severe maximum punishment is imprisonment for a fixed term of at least four years.

The punishment shall not be shorter than the most severe minimum punishment for the offences.

The most severe maximum and minimum punishments mean the punishments that can, under the provisions applicable to the case, be imposed as the maximum and minimum punishment for the offence. If one or more of the offences are only punishable by a fine, the fines altogether shall be considered equal to one month's imprisonment when calculating the combined length of the maximum punishments for the offences.

Chapter 11 (212/2008)
War crimes and crimes against humanity

Section 1 (212/2008)
Genocide

A person who, for the purpose of entirely or partially destroying a national, ethnical, racial or religious group or another comparable group,

1) kills members of the group,
2) causes serious bodily or mental illness or injuries to members of the group,
3) inflicts on the group conditions of life that can bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part,
4) imposes forcible measures intended to prevent births within the group, or
5) forcibly transfers children from one group to another shall be sentenced for genocide to imprisonment for at least four years or for life.

An attempt is punishable.

Chapter 11 (212/2008)
War crimes and crimes against humanity

Section 4a (1718/2015)
Crime of aggression

If a person in a position effectively to exercise control over or to direct the political or military action of a state commits an act of aggression which, by its character, gravity and scale, constitutes a manifest violation of the Charter of the United Nations (Finnish Treaty Series 1/1956), the person shall be sentenced for a crime of aggression to imprisonment for at least four years or for life.

An attempt is punishable.

An act of aggression means the use of armed force by a state against the sovereignty, territorial integrity or political independence of another state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Charter of the United Nations.

The following acts committed by a state or the armed forces of a state, regardless of a declaration of war, shall, in accordance with United Nations General Assembly resolution 3314 (XXIX) of 14 December 1974, qualify as acts of aggression:

1) the invasion or attack of the territory of another state, any military occupation resulting from such invasion or attack, and any annexation of the territory of another state or part of it,
2) bombardment against the territory of another state and the use of any weapons against the territory of another state,
3) the blockade of the ports or coast of another state,
4) an attack on the land, sea or air forces, or marine and air fleets of another state,
5) the use of armed forces of one state which are within the territory of another state with the agreement of the receiving state, in contravention of the conditions provided for in the agreement or any extension of their presence in such territory beyond the termination of the agreement,
6) the action of a state in allowing its territory, which it has placed at the disposal of another state, to be used by that other state for perpetrating an act of aggression against a third state,
7) the sending by or on behalf of a state of armed bands, groups, irregulars or mercenaries, which carry out acts against another state of such gravity as to be comparable to the acts referred to in paragraphs 1–6, or its substantial involvement in the sending of these.

Chapter 11 (212/2008)
War crimes and crimes against humanity

Section 13 (1718/2015)
Failure to report an offence of a subordinate

A military or other superior who fails to take the necessary and reasonable measures within his or her power to refer to the authorities for investigation an offence referred to in section 1, 3, 4, 4a, 4b or 5–7 or in this section suspected to have been committed by a person under his or her effective authority and control shall be sentenced for failure to report an offence of a subordinate to a fine or to imprisonment for at most two years.

However, a superior who is an accomplice to an offence committed by his or her subordinate or, under the conditions specified in section 12, is the perpetrator of an offence or an accomplice to an offence committed by his or her subordinate shall not be sentenced for failure to report an offence of a subordinate.

Chapter 12 (578/1995)
Offences of treason

Section 2 (578/1995)
Incitement to war

If a person in Finland or a Finnish citizen outside of Finland, during an ongoing or imminent military crisis or international political crisis concerning Finland, for the purpose of causing Finland to be at war or become the target of a military operation,

1) publicly exhorts a foreign state to commit an act of aggression against Finland or Finland to commit an act of aggression against a foreign state,
2) publicly disseminates statements or other expressions aimed at turning the public opinion to support the commission of acts of aggression,
3) systematically disseminates manifestly unfounded or misleading information on Finland’s national defence or the military or defence policy intentions of Finland, or
4) unlawfully commits a violent act against a foreign state or a representative, territory or property of a foreign state,

so that the act clearly increases the risk of Finland being at war or becoming the target of a military operation, the person shall be sentenced for incitement to war to imprisonment for at least one year and at most ten years.

Chapter 15 (563/1998)
Offences against the administration of justice

Section 1 (735/2015)
False statement in court

If

1) a witness or an expert witness in court or
2) another person in court, under oath or affirmation, provides false information in the case or without lawful excuse conceals a pertinent circumstance,

the person shall be sentenced for a false statement in court to imprisonment for at most three years.

What is provided in subsection 1 also applies when a person is heard in court by video conference, telephone or another technical means of communication referred to in chapter 17, section 52 or 56 of the Code of Judicial Procedure without him or her being present in person.

Chapter 15 (563/1998)
Offences against the administration of justice

Section 2 (563/1998)
False statement in official proceedings

If

1) a person under oath or affirmation in official proceedings comparable to a trial,
2) a person other than a suspect, when being questioned in person in a criminal investigation, or
3) a person other than one with the status referred to in chapter 6, section 2, subsection 2 of the Police Act (872/2011), when being questioned in person in a police investigation or in other comparable official proceedings,

provides false information in the case or without lawful excuse conceals a pertinent circumstance, the person shall be sentenced for a false statement in official proceedings to a fine or to imprisonment for at most two years. (815/2011)

The legal representative of a legal person, when being questioned in a criminal investigation for the determination of corporate criminal liability, is equated with a suspect in the matter.

Chapter 15 (563/1998)
Offences against the administration of justice

Section 3 (563/1998)
Aggravated false statement in court

If, in making a false statement referred to in section 1,

1) serious danger arises that the court may sentence an innocent person to imprisonment or to another severe sanction, or that the court may sentence a person to a significantly more severe sanction than what would otherwise be the case, or that the court is very likely to make a wrong decision causing other particularly considerable damage to a party,
2) the falsehood or concealment pertains to a particularly important circumstance, or
3) the offence is committed in a particularly premeditated manner,

and the offence is also aggravated when assessed as a whole, the perpetrator shall be sentenced for an aggravated false statement in court to imprisonment for at least four months and at most six years.


Section 4 (735/2015)
Negligent false statement

A person who

1) as a witness or an expert witness in court, or
2) under oath or affirmation in court or in official proceedings comparable to a trial

through negligence provides false information in the case or conceals a pertinent circumstance shall be sentenced for a negligent false statement to a fine or to imprisonment for at most six months.


Section 5 (563/1998)
Attempted incitement to a false statement

A person who attempts to incite another person to commit an offence referred to in sections 1–3 shall be sentenced for attempted incitement to a false statement to a fine or to imprisonment for at most one year.


Section 7 (563/1998)
Falsification of evidence

A person who, for the purpose of having an innocent person sentenced or otherwise causing damage to another person, conceals, destroys, damages, alters or otherwise falsifies an object, document or other piece of evidence that is necessary as evidence in court or in a criminal investigation and that the person knows to be of significance in the matter shall be sentenced for falsification of evidence to a fine or to imprisonment for at most two years.

A person who, for the purpose referred to in subsection 1, submits a piece of evidence that he or she knows to be false or falsified to be used as evidence in court or in a criminal investigation, or uses it in a misleading manner himself or herself, shall also be sentenced for falsification of evidence.


Section 8 (563/1998)
Aggravated falsification of evidence

If, in falsification of evidence,

1) an innocent person is put in serious danger of being sentenced to imprisonment or to another severe sanction,
2) the offence pertains to a particularly important piece of evidence, or
3) the offence is committed in a particularly premeditated manner,

and the offence is also aggravated when assessed as a whole, the perpetrator shall be sentenced for aggravated falsification of evidence to imprisonment for at least four months and at most six years.


Section 9 (563/1998)
Threatening a person to be heard in the administration of justice

A person who unlawfully

1) by using violence or making a threat, prevents or attempts to prevent another person from making a statement as a witness, an expert witness, another person to be heard, or a party in a trial, a criminal investigation, a police investigation or other comparable official proceedings, or influences or attempts to influence the contents of the statement, or
2) because of a statement made by another person in a hearing referred to above, uses or threatens to use violence against this person or a person whose relationship to this person is one referred to in section 10, subsection 2

shall, unless a more severe punishment for the act is provided elsewhere by law, be sentenced for threatening a person to be heard in the administration of justice to a fine or to imprisonment for at most three years.

Chapter 15 (563/1998)
Offences against the administration of justice

Section 10 (563/1998)
Failure to report a serious offence

A person who knows of an imminent genocide, preparation of genocide, crime against humanity, aggravated crime against humanity, crime of aggression, preparation of a crime of aggression, war crime, aggravated war crime, torture, violation of the prohibition of chemical weapons, violation of the prohibition of biological weapons, violation of the prohibition of anti-personnel mines, compromising of the sovereignty of Finland, treason, aggravated treason, espionage, aggravated espionage, high treason, aggravated high treason, rape, aggravated rape, aggravated sexual abuse of a child, aggravated rape of a child, murder, manslaughter, killing, aggravated assault, robbery, aggravated robbery, trafficking in human beings, aggravated trafficking in human beings, hostage taking, aggravated criminal mischief, aggravated endangerment of health, nuclear device offence, hijacking, an offence committed with a terrorist intent referred to in chapter 34a, section 1, subsection 1, paragraph 3, aggravated degradation of the environment or aggravated narcotics offence, and fails to report it to the authorities or to the person in danger when there is still time to prevent the offence shall be sentenced, if the offence or a punishable attempt at the offence is committed, for failure to report a serious offence to a fine or to imprisonment for at most six months. (486/2019)

However, a person shall not be sentenced for failure to report a serious offence if, in order to prevent the offence, he or she would have had to denounce his or her current or former spouse, current cohabiting partner, sibling, or relative in the direct ascending or descending line, or a person with whom he or she has another similar close relationship comparable to an intimate relationship or kinship. (735/2015)

Chapter 15 (563/1998)
Offences against the administration of justice

Section 11 (563/1998)
Harbouring an offender

A person who, after becoming aware that an offence has been committed, by furthering the escape of the offender or by destroying evidence, prevents or attempts to prevent the offender from being brought to justice, shall be sentenced for harbouring an offender to a fine or to imprisonment for at most one year.

What is provided in subsection 1 does not apply to an accomplice to an offence nor to a person whose relationship to the offender is one referred to in section 10, subsection 2, nor to offences for which the most severe punishment provided does not exceed imprisonment for six months.

Chapter 16 (563/1998)
Offences against public authorities

Section 1 (563/1998)
Violent resistance to a public official

A person who

1) uses or threatens to use violence to force a public official to perform or to refrain from performing an official duty involving exercise of public authority,
2) otherwise due to such an official duty uses or threatens to use violence against a public official performing the official duty, or
3) uses violence against a public official or a person in a relationship referred to in chapter 15, section 10, subsection 2 to the public official to revenge such an official duty

shall be sentenced for violent resistance to a public official to imprisonment for at least four months and at most four years.

A person who acts in the manner specified in subsection 1 towards a person who, at the request or with the consent of a public official, assists the public official in an official duty involving exercise of public authority shall also be sentenced for violent resistance to a public official. (604/2002)


Section 2 (563/1998)
Resistance to a public official

If, taking into consideration the minor significance of the violence or threat or the other circumstances connected with the offence, the violent resistance to a public official is deemed to have been committed under mitigating circumstances when assessed as a whole, the perpetrator shall be sentenced for resistance to a public official to a fine or to imprisonment for at most six months.


Section 3 (563/1998)
Obstructing a public official

A person who, without using or threatening to use violence, unlawfully prevents or attempts to prevent an official duty referred to in section 1 from being performed or makes performing it more difficult shall be sentenced for obstructing a public official to a fine.

A person who acts in the manner specified in subsection 1 towards a person who, at the request or with the consent of a public official, assists the public official in an official duty involving exercise of public authority shall also be sentenced for obstructing a public official. (604/2002)


Section 4 (815/2011)
Insubordination to the police

A person who

1) fails to obey an order or a prohibition issued by a police officer, within his or her powers, for the purpose of maintaining public order and security or performing a duty,
2) refuses to provide a police officer with the personal data referred to in chapter 2, section 1, subsection 1 of the Police Act,
3) fails to obey a police officer’s clearly visible signal or order given to stop or move a vehicle, as referred to in chapter 2, section 11, subsection 1 of the Police Act,
4) neglects the obligation to assist referred to in chapter 9, section 3 of the Police Act, or
5) alerts the police without reason or hinders police operations by providing false information

shall, unless a more severe punishment for the act is provided elsewhere by law, be sentenced for
insubordination to the police to a fine or to imprisonment for at most three months.


Section 4a (585/2005)
Insubordination to a border guard

A person who

1) fails to obey an order or a prohibition issued by a border guard, within his or her powers, for the purpose of performing a duty,
2) refuses to provide a border guard with the personal data referred to in section 36, subsection 1 of the Border Guard Act (578/2005),
3) fails to obey a border guard’s clearly visible signal or order given to control traffic or to stop or move a vehicle, as referred to in section 38 of the Border Guard Act,
4) fails to obey a prohibition or an order issued by the search and rescue mission coordinator under section 11a of the Maritime Search and Rescue Act (1145/2001), or
5) alerts a border guard without reason or hinders the activities of a border guard by providing false information

shall, unless a more severe punishment for the act is provided elsewhere by law, be sentenced for
insubordination to a border guard to a fine or to imprisonment for at most three months.


Section 4b (317/2016)
Insubordination to a customs officer

A person who

1) fails to obey an order or a prohibition issued by a customs officer, within his or her powers, for the purpose of performing a duty,
2) refuses to provide a customs officer with information requested in accordance with section 17 or section 102, subsection 1 of the Customs Act (304/2016) or chapter 2, section 14 or 15 of the Act on Crime Prevention by Customs (623/2015),
3) fails to obey a customs officer’s clearly visible signal or order given to control traffic or to stop or move a vehicle, as referred to in section 12 or 13 of the Customs Act, or
4) alerts a customs officer without reason or hinders the activities of Customs by providing false information

shall, unless a more severe punishment for the act is provided elsewhere by law, be sentenced for insubordination to a customs officer to a fine or to imprisonment for at most three months.


Section 5 (563/1998)
Providing false personal data

A person who, in order to mislead a public authority, provides a false name or otherwise provides false or misleading information on his or her identity, or for this purpose uses another person’s identity card, passport, driving licence or other such certificate, shall be sentenced for providing false personal data to a fine or to imprisonment for at most six months.


Section 6 (808/2007)
Fine deception

A person who, to obtain economic benefit, provides essentially false or misleading information on his or her income, maintenance liability or another circumstance affecting his or her solvency to a public authority for the purpose of determining the amount of a fine shall be sentenced for fine deception to a fine or to imprisonment for at most three months.


Section 7 (563/1998)
Registration offence

A person who,

1) to cause a legally relevant error in a public register kept by a public authority, provides false information to that authority, or
2) to obtain benefit for himself or herself or another person or to cause damage to another person, takes advantage of an error caused in the manner referred to in paragraph 1,

shall be sentenced for a registration offence to a fine or to imprisonment for at most three years.

An attempt is punishable.


Section 8 (563/1998)
Providing a false testimony to a public authority

A person who provides a public authority with a legally relevant false written testimony or a comparable technical recording or, after having prepared such a document or recording, gives it to another person to be used for this purpose shall, unless a more severe punishment for the act is provided elsewhere by law, be sentenced for providing a false testimony to a public authority to a fine or to imprisonment for at most six months.

A person pursuing an activity subject to the specific supervision of an authority, a representative or employee of such a person, and an auditor of a corporate entity subject to supervision, who during a statutory inspection or when otherwise fulfilling a statutory reporting duty provides the supervising authority with legally relevant false oral information, shall also be sentenced for providing a false testimony to a public authority.


Section 9 (563/1998)
Impersonating a public official

A person who, in order to mislead another person,
1) without a statutory right undertakes a measure that can only be taken by a competent authority exercising public authority, or
2) otherwise presents himself or herself as a public official exercising public authority on duty

shall be sentenced for impersonating a public official to a fine or to imprisonment for at most six months.


Section 9a (902/1998)
Violation of a restraining order

A person subject to a restraining order or a temporary restraining order who violates the order specified in the pertinent decision shall be sentenced for a violation of a restraining order to a fine or to imprisonment for at most one year.

In applying subsection 1, a protection measure that has been reported to the Data System for Police Matters under section 4 of the Act on the Application of Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on Mutual Recognition of Protection Measures in Civil Matters (227/2015) is equated with a restraining order. Contacts for which there is an appropriate reason and that are manifestly necessary in the manner referred to in section 3, subsection 4 of the Act on Restraining Orders (898/1998) are not deemed a violation of a restraining order. (229/2015)


Section 10 (563/1998)
Violation of an official prohibition pertaining to property

A person who unlawfully

1) breaks a lock, seal, barrier or mark installed by a public authority and intended for closing or isolating an object or another location, or otherwise breaks into such an object or location closed by the authority,
2) intrudes a building or room closed by a public authority or otherwise breaches a prohibition issued for the purpose of investigating an offence under chapter 9, section 1, subsection 1, paragraph 2 of the Coercive Measures Act (806/2011),
3) handles property that has been seized, sequestrated, distrained or garnished, or ordered by a public authority not to be moved, or
4) in violation of a prohibition issued by a public authority, alienates or conveys property or in violation of a payment freeze pays a debt or wage

shall be sentenced for a violation of an official prohibition pertaining to property to a fine or to imprisonment for at most one year.

In subsection 1, paragraph 1, ‘public authority’ also means a foreign customs authority in addition to a Finnish public authority.


Section 11 (563/1998)
Violation of a prohibition on pursuing a business

A person who violates a prohibition on pursuing a business or a temporary prohibition on pursuing a business shall be sentenced for a violation of a prohibition on pursuing a business to a fine or to imprisonment for at most two years.

A person who acts as an intermediary for another person in order to evade a prohibition on pursuing a business shall also be sentenced for a violation of a prohibition on pursuing a business.


Section 12 (563/1998)
Destroying evidence in the possession of the authorities

A person who unlawfully destroys, takes possession of, damages or otherwise renders useless a document or another piece of evidence in a public archive or in the possession of a public authority, or a public register maintained by an authority or a part of such a register, shall be sentenced for destroying evidence in the possession of the authorities to a fine or to imprisonment for at most two years.


Section 13 (604/2002)
Giving of a bribe

A person who promises, offers or gives to a public official, for his or her actions in an employment relationship, such a gift or other advantage intended for him or her or for another person that influences or aims to influence or is conducive to influencing the public official’s actions in the employment relationship shall be sentenced for giving of a bribe to a fine or to imprisonment for at most two years.

A person who promises, offers or gives a gift or an advantage referred to in subsection 1 to another person for a public official’s actions in an employment relationship shall also be sentenced for giving of a bribe.


Section 14 (563/1998)
Aggravated giving of a bribe

If, in giving of a bribe,

1) the purpose of the gift or advantage is to make the person concerned act in his or her employment relationship contrary to his or her duties to the considerable benefit of the briber or another person or to the considerable loss or detriment of another person, or
2) the gift or advantage is of significant value,

and the giving of a bribe is also aggravated when assessed as whole, the perpetrator shall be sentenced for aggravated giving of a bribe to imprisonment for at least four months and at most four years.


Section 14a (637/2011)
Giving of a bribe to a Member of Parliament

A person who promises, offers or gives to a Member of Parliament a gift or other undue advantage that is to be deemed other than customary hospitality, intended for the Member or another person, in order to make the Member of Parliament act or refrain from acting under his or her parliamentary mandate in a certain manner in exchange for the advantage, or in order to reward the person for such action, and the act is conducive to clearly undermining confidence in the independence of the execution of the Member’s mandate, shall be sentenced for giving of a bribe to a Member of Parliament to a fine or to imprisonment for at most two years.

Election funding referred to in the Act on a Candidate's Election Funding (273/2009) is not deemed giving of a bribe to a Member of Parliament, unless its purpose is to circumvent subsection 1.


Section 14b (637/2011)
Aggravated giving of a bribe to a Member of Parliament

If, in giving of a bribe to a Member of Parliament,

1) the purpose of the gift or advantage is to make the person act under his or her parliamentary mandate to the considerable benefit of the briber or another person or to the considerable loss or detriment of another person, or
2) the gift or advantage is of significant value,

and the giving of a bribe to a Member of Parliament is also aggravated when assessed as a whole, the perpetrator shall be sentenced for aggravated giving of a bribe to a Member of Parliament to imprisonment for at least four months and at most four years.


Section 15 (256/2014)
Illegal release of a prisoner

A person who illegally

1) releases a prisoner, an arrested person, an apprehended person, or a person under detention referred to in the Act on Military Discipline and Combating Crime in the Defence Forces from a prison or another detention facility, or from the custody of a public official or a soldier guarding, escorting or transporting that person, or assists in the escape of that person, or
2) prevents a competent public official or soldier from apprehending a person who is on the run and who has been ordered to be remanded or arrested or is to be apprehended

shall be sentenced for illegal release of a prisoner to a fine or to imprisonment for at most two years.

An attempt is punishable.


Section 16 (563/1998)
Escape by a prisoner

A prisoner, an arrested person, an apprehended person in the custody of a public authority, or a person under detention referred to in the Act on Military Discipline who escapes or attempts to escape from a penal institution or another detention facility, or from the custody of a person guarding, escorting or transporting him or her, shall be sentenced for escape by a prisoner to a fine or to imprisonment for at most one year.


Section 17 (563/1998)
Procurement of a weapon by a prisoner

A prisoner, an arrested person, an apprehended person in the custody of a public authority, or a person under detention referred to in the Act on Military Discipline who, in violation of a prohibition brought to his or her knowledge, manufactures, procures or possesses a firearm, an edged weapon or another comparable lethal instrument shall be sentenced for procurement of a weapon by a prisoner to a fine or to imprisonment for at most one year.

The Act on Military Discipline (331/1983) was repealed by the Act on Military Discipline and Combating Crime in the Defence Forces (255/2014).


Section 18 (637/2011)
Corporate criminal liability

The provisions on corporate criminal liability apply to giving of a bribe, aggravated giving of a bribe, giving of a bribe to a Member of Parliament, and aggravated giving of a bribe to a Member of Parliament.


Section 19 (563/1998)
Restrictive provision

The provisions of sections 1–3 of this chapter do not apply to acts referred to in chapter 17, section 6.


Section 19a (604/2002)
Section 19a was repealed by Act 604/2002.


Section 20 (604/2002)
Provisions on the scope of application

In applying sections 1–3 of this chapter, the following are equated with a public official as the object of a criminal act: a person holding a public position of trust referred to in chapter 40, section 11; such a foreign public official who is in the service of the International Criminal Court or acts in the territory of Finland in duties related to inspection, surveillance, pursuit, maintenance of public order and security, crime prevention or criminal investigation under an international agreement or another international obligation, or who acts in the territory of Finland in criminal investigation duties or other official duties under the Act on International Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters (4/1994) on the basis of a request for legal assistance issued or approved by a Finnish authority; a person exercising public authority; and a soldier on duty. (302/2014)

In applying section 9 of this chapter, the following are equated with a public official: a person holding a public position of trust referred to in chapter 40, section 11; such a foreign public official who is in the service of the International Criminal Court or acts in the territory of Finland in duties related to inspection, surveillance, pursuit, maintenance of public order and security, crime prevention or criminal investigation under an international agreement or another international obligation, or who acts in the territory of Finland in criminal investigation duties or other official duties under the Act on International Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters (4/1994) on the basis of a request for legal assistance issued or approved by a Finnish authority; and a person exercising public authority. (302/2014)

In applying sections 13 and 14 of this chapter, a person holding a public position of trust referred to in chapter 40, section 11, an employee of a public sector entity, a foreign public official, a person exercising public authority, and a soldier are equated with a public official as the object of a criminal act.

In applying sections 1–3, 13 and 14 of this chapter, a foreign public official who acts or uses an intelligence gathering method in the territory of Finland in the manner referred to in chapter 5a, section 57, subsection 3 of the Police Act or in section 20, subsection 3 of the Act on Military Intelligence is equated with a public official as the object of a criminal act. (586/2019)

In applying sections 14a and 14b of this chapter, a member of a foreign parliament referred to in chapter 40, section 11 is equated with a Member of Parliament as the object of a criminal act. (637/2011)

If provisions are laid down elsewhere than in this Code on the application of provisions on criminal liability for acts in office to a person other than those referred to in subsections 1–4, the person shall be equated with a public official as the object of a criminal act when applying sections 1–3, 9, 13 and 14 of this chapter.